Upvote
0
Hi Jack, yes all points active with the center one as an acquisition point. It actually did better than I expected as the darn thing was certainly very active. I only tried it because of this thread and the lens was on the camera and I could see it buzzing about from inside. I might try again when it is a bit earlier or where they have a stop and start point, either that or drink more coffee to match their reaction timesScott, I appreciate the settings comment. So was it all AF points starting with the center? I like to use single spot but realize it's virtually hopeless in shots like these.
Jack
Hi Jack, yes all points active with the center one as an acquisition point. It actually did better than I expected as the darn thing was certainly very active. I only tried it because of this thread and the lens was on the camera and I could see it buzzing about from inside. I might try again when it is a bit earlier or where they have a stop and start point, either that or drink more coffee to match their reaction times
When all the AF settings are set to max plus the spot dances around as fast as the dragonflies do, just not always in step!
Good shot! Re your settings: 1DX MkII, 300mm f2.8 IS. 1/3200 sec, f2.8, iso 800 manual exposure, centre point. Manual exposure is pretty well standard for birds/dragonflies etc in flight. On the 5DIV and 5DSR I find central 9 points the most effective for small erratic subjects flying in and out of frame. f/2.8 is somewhat unforgiving in dof for dragonflies close up. The 1DX MkII + 300mm f2.8 is heavy gear to move around quickly for DIF, but you are probably used to it.Well I don't want you guys to have all the fun! Here is my first attempt at free flying dragonflies, not as good as most here but it was fun to play with the AF settings to see how it would work under a very different to my normal shooting style. He/she was going around and around above my swimming pool in a fairly regular pattern though it didn't have any features it was using, so no plant head or twig to prefocus on. The black is just shade of a bush way in the distance.
If it helps anybody here is where I set everything, 1DX MkII, 300mm f2.8 IS. 1/3200 sec, f2.8, iso 800, manual exposure mode as the differing background kept leading to bad dragonfly exposures, lens set to 2.5-6 meter focusing limits to speed up mis-steps, all three AF variables set to max plus value, I used single point center as acquisition spot then let the AF try to keep up with it. It was an ambient around 90ºF so it had a ton of energy and was very fast and erratic. It is a good sized crop unfortunately.
I believe it is a Golden Winged Skimmer (Libellula auripennis) but am happy to stand corrected.
Nice shot. But, we don't like insect prejudice in CR.Why do I like dragonflies? I like dragonflies because they're good, honest, hardworking bugs. And they're not pretentious like butterflies. Butterflies are a bunch of phonies. Butterflies hide behind those big fancy wings, and they try to pretend that they're better than the other bugs. But if you look under the butterfly wings, you can see that they're just bugs like everybody else. Dragonflies are more straight to the point.
And suppose you go out shooting right after lunch? If you run out of toothpicks, you can just grab a dragonfly. In that stiuation, a butterfly would not help at all.
Well I don't want you guys to have all the fun! Here is my first attempt at free flying dragonflies, not as good as most here but it was fun to play with the AF settings to see how it would work under a very different to my normal shooting style. He/she was going around and around above my swimming pool in a fairly regular pattern though it didn't have any features it was using, so no plant head or twig to prefocus on. The black is just shade of a bush way in the distance.
If it helps anybody here is where I set everything, 1DX MkII, 300mm f2.8 IS. 1/3200 sec, f2.8, iso 800, manual exposure mode as the differing background kept leading to bad dragonfly exposures, lens set to 2.5-6 meter focusing limits to speed up mis-steps, all three AF variables set to max plus value, I used single point center as acquisition spot then let the AF try to keep up with it. It was an ambient around 90ºF so it had a ton of energy and was very fast and erratic. It is a good sized crop unfortunately.
I believe it is a Golden Winged Skimmer (Libellula auripennis) but am happy to stand corrected.
The good thing with sitting ducks is that they allow focus stacking
But it is definitely more fun to catch dragonflies in flight